The procedure of branding, and externally tagging and tattooing bovine herds and other food-producing animals has recently been falling into disfavor. Currently under study is the method of electronic tagging, which is considered an alternative to the fire-branding procedure that is much more viable. "Electronic" branding has many advantages, one of which is the capability for individually monitoring an animal's behavior and characteristics (e.g., temperature, activity, ownership, origin, etc.), as well as identifying a particular animal specimen.
Anatomical implantation sites for such electronic identification transponders in food-producing animals have in the past included the ear, the subscutiform (where the ear attaches to the head), the eyesocket and the tail head.
Investigations by the federal Food & Drug Administration (FDA) have resulted in a rejection of an animal's tail head area as being considered unsafe. Trials involving the middle third of an animal's ear have shown poor durability of the transponders. Subscutiform implants have shown greater permanence, but this area of the body is considered dangerously close to a cut of meat used for human consumption. In addition, sites located about the head of an animal have proven to be generally difficult to electronically monitor with automated equipment.
The present invention seeks to implant an electronic identification tag subcutaneously in the leg of a cow or other food-producing animal. The preferred implant site is the rear leg, but the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited by any specific site. Such an implant site would have the advantage of affording safe food, since the proposed location is below the hock (the demarcation used to sever the carcass in most processing plants).
Another advantage of the invention is the reliability of the scanning of the transponder with respect to the leg orientation. The leg portion of the animal is essentially vertical at all times when the animal is standing, yielding accurate readings by stationary floor-mounted antennas.
A further advantage of this invention is the durability and security of the transponder when placed in the leg of the animals.
Another advantage of this invention is the fact that the transponder can be implanted easily in young animals.
Still another advantage of the leg placement site of this invention is the transponder's ability to be conveniently monitored with hand-held devices when animals are on raised platforms in dairies.